    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
    [October 30, 2004]
    [Pages 2849-2850]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    October 30, 2004

        Good morning. In just a few days, Americans will choose who will
    lead our country during a time of war and economic opportunity. And the
    choice on Tuesday comes down to a few issues of great consequence. The
    first choice is the most important, because all our progress depends on
    our safety.
        Since September the 11th, 2001, I have led a relentless campaign
    against the terrorists. We have strengthened homeland security. We
    removed terror regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq. We are on the offensive
    around the world, because the best way to prevent future attacks is to
    go after the enemy.
        My opponent has a different view. Senator
    Kerry says September the 11th didn't change him much, and his policies
    make that clear. He says the war on terror is primarily an intelligence
    and law enforcement operation. He has proposed what he calls a ``global
    test'' that would give foreign governments a veto over American security
    decisions. And when our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq needed funding
    for body armor and bullets, Senator Kerry voted against it.
        The direction of the war on terror is at stake in the election of
    2004. And when you go to the polls on Tuesday, remember this: I will do
    whatever it takes to defend America and prevail in the war on terror,
    and I will always support the men and women who do the fighting.
        The second choice in this election concerns your family budget. As a
    candidate, I pledged to lower taxes for families, and I have kept my
    word. We doubled the child tax credit, reduced the marriage penalty, and
    dropped the lowest tax bracket to 10 percent. Now working families keep
    more of their paychecks, and America's economy is growing faster than
    any other among major industrialized nations.
        My opponent voted against all our tax
    relief for working families. His votes would have squeezed about $2,000
    more in taxes from the average middle-class family. Now Senator Kerry is
    promising to increase Federal spending by more than $2.2 trillion. And
    to pay for all that new spending, he would have to raise taxes on
    American families. I will keep your taxes low because I know it's not
    the Government's money; it's your family's money.
        The third choice in this election involves your quality of life. As
    President, I signed historic education reforms to bring high standards
    to the classroom and make schools accountable to parents, and our
    children are making progress in reading and math. We've strengthened
    Medicare, created health savings accounts, and expanded community health
    centers to help

    [[Page 2850]]

    more Americans get health care. I'm proposing a series of practical
    reforms to make health care more affordable and accessible by expanding
    health savings accounts, allowing association health plans, and
    protecting patients and doctors from junk and frivolous lawsuits.
        My opponent has a different approach.
    Senator Kerry voted for the No Child Left Behind Act, but he has pledged
    to weaken the accountability standards. He's voted 10 times against
    medical liability reform. And now, he's proposing a big-Government
    health care plan that would do nothing about rising health costs and
    would cause millions of Americans to lose their private health insurance
    and end up on Government programs.
        Finally, this election presents a choice on the values that keep our
    families strong. I believe marriage is a sacred commitment, and I will
    always defend it. I will continue to appoint judges who strictly
    interpret the law. And I will keep working to move this goodhearted
    nation toward a culture of life.
        On these issues, my opponent and I are
    miles apart. Senator Kerry was part of an out-of-the-mainstream minority
    that voted against the Defense of Marriage Act. He believes there ought
    to be a liberal litmus test for judicial appointments. He voted against
    banning the brutal practice of partial-birth abortion. I believe that
    reasonable people can find common ground on difficult issues, and I will
    continue reaching out and bringing Americans together to protect our
    deepest held values.
        All of these choices make this one of the most important elections
    in our history. These past 4 years, you have seen how I do my job. Even
    when you might not agree with me, you know where I stand, what I
    believe, and what I intend to do. Soon, the decision will be in your
    hands. And however you decide, I urge you to get out and vote on
    Tuesday.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 7:50 a.m. on October 29 in the Cabinet
    Room for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on October 30. The transcript was made
    available by the Office of the Press Secretary on October 29 but was
    embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office of the Press
    Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of this address.